Review of Gender Ideologies in The Contemporary United States

Gender ideology refers to insolences regarding the proper rights, roles, and responsibilities of both men and women in the society. Femininity and masculinity are concepts that are socially constructed to convey social status and values. Gender philosophy works in two ways. It recommends proper demeanor and behavior for girls and boys, women and men. Views of femininity and masculinity in the United States are equally multifaceted by differences regarding race and bring about similar contradictions to what is being a woman or man. There are several features of prevailing gender ideologies in the contemporary United States.

First, there have been discussions that both men and women should be paid equal wages for a comparable value of work done. Women are now at the same working range with men, earning equal wages (Davis & Greenstein, 2009) This is something that has been severally fought for in decades in the United States, that women should have equal rights and be given same opportunities as men to work and earn a living. Now, some women are looked upon as breadwinners in some families, as it has been the responsibility for men only in the recent times, marking a change in roles played by men and women in families. Same as men, women are now working in higher offices where they are doing exceptionally well and showing positive results. This action has boosted the economy of the United States since women have started income-generating projects and have invested in the marketplace, raising the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

Also, in sports, women are at par with men. Both men and women are given equal chances to participate in all games available. In sports that were believed to be for men only like soccer and athletics, women have been involved in them and can grow their talents and acquire a lot of wealth as a result. In youth sports, girls in the school participate in similar games as well as boys. There have been significant efforts to equalize the infants in sports for it is believed that being involved in sports improves the health and welfare of the child. According to Lavee & Katz (2002), every child has the right to participate in sports, both boys and girls, without discrimination and should be given a chance to exploit his or her talent maximumly.

Also, females have been put in the United States Constitution by the Equal Right Amendment. Many women are in institutions previously considered to be the territory for men. Women are now free to be as exceptional, mediocre and be critiqued as men. In the field of education, there are co-educative schools which teach a content of classes that is the same for boys and girls and have the same qualification for women and men. In academic performance, the results of girls are non-distinguishable from those of the boys because they are the same. To some extent, girls are even performing better than boys, and this gives then equal opportunities to fetch for jobs. In the profession, career is significant for women just as for men. Professional excuses have been made fair and necessary for both men and women, and now women have won the trust of the entire nation as people who can be relied on in certain professions (Davis & Greenstein, 2009)

In current marriages, both parties to the marriage do all housework in equal shares from the primary childcare to educating the children. Both parents are working to earn a living hence acting as breadwinners and contribute equally to provide education for their children. Raising a family has become an issue of collaboration where both parents are expected to play a typical role to sustain the family. When it comes to making decisions, neither of the partners dominates. Both husband and wife conclude without following any of the partner’s principles, and if a disagreement occurs, the status quo is maintained (Lavee & Katz, 2002).

In the United States’ current generation, women have been given the right to own and inherit property. There has been great empowerment in women’s financial background where women are now able to acquire wealth regarding inheritance and investing in the property they already own just like men. People in domestic partnerships and married couples are individually taxed, and when women retire, they receive the same Social Security as men. Also, whether a child is born to a single father, a single mother, two fathers, two mothers, or a father and a mother, a family is demarcated by commitment, support, and love (Davis & Greenstein, 2009). A child with both parents is likely to have his or her last name hyphenated, or choose to have a new name, as he or she is to have a mother’s or father’s name.

To conclude, gender equality measures in the United States have been enhanced to empower women to bring them at par with men. As illustrated above, women and girls have equal opportunities as men and boys either in work, sports, education, making of decisions and housework affairs in marriages and property inheritance and ownership.